TEA Collaborative Learning Group
Overview of Plan

Huffman

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Team Members:

What is your role within your team?

What professional growth goals do you and your team members hope to reach through this partnership?

How will you and your team reflect on these goals and on learning and classroom practice (e.g., pedagogy, the use of technology, content, the process of science)?

Mentoring Plan (Revised from Orientation)

	My principal and I have talked briefly about the mentoring and transfer plan.  He would like to see my TEA parcticipation become an all school theme for the year and the topic around which we work on our School Improvement Plan goals.  To this end I see myself mentoring two to three teachers within my own building, but I much prefer Bruce Wellman’s term "learning-focus group", because these will be seasoned, experienced teachers.  I’ll need to make a presentation to the faculty (a "fishing expedition" so to speak) to see which teachers might be interested in this.  I picture this group as a cross-grade level, cross-curricular entity.  

	Early this year (2001) at a faculty meeting, I would like to make a Power Point presentation that would introduce the staff to Antarctica and the TEA program.  I would like this to be a "fascinating facts"-type presentation to hook them into wanting to learn more.  I’ll probably present it dressed as an Antarctic explorer.  As I explain the TEA program and some of the science that is happening, I will also tell about my own involvement.  Hopefully my enthusiasm will be contagious and the faculty will be tripping over each other to volunteer to be TEA Associates!

	Since the whole school will be following my progress in Antarctica, I would like my learning-focus group to work with me to plan how to maximize the experience for all students.  We will explore ways to involve all disciplines, parents and the community at large.  We will work together to develop activities and curriculum to help the other teachers incorporate this with as little stress as possible.  I picture collecting these activities in an "Incredible Ice Scrapbook" to share throughout the district. At the same time, we will develop a continuum of systemic change in the area of process and inquiry science.  Where are we now…to…where do we want to be in three years?  We would invite our superintendents of curriculum for elementary and secondary ed. to be involved in this piece.  There is an active science committee already at work in our district, so we might be able to piggyback onto some of their work.

	Together, my committee and I would plan inservice time with the whole faculty to…
1. brainstorm things they need to know before connecting polar science to their curriculum
2. brainstorm ways to get resources
3. share and develop curriculum activities and connections
4. explore the TEA website and other Antarctica sites
5. learn the technology needed to connect with me while I’m in Antarctica

This will be an evolving plan as we work together with administration, faculty and our Home and School Organization.  

Bruce Wellman has worked in our district with our administrators including Don Perry, my principal.   With Don I want to explore the possibility of having Bruce do an inservice with our building, tying together the ideas of learning-focus groups, design qualities of work, and my Antarctica experience. Bruce, who is familiar with all three areas, is open to the challenge.

Besides the work I will do within my building, I also hope to enlist an elementary teacher and a high school teacher to spread the excitement throughout the district.  I plan to make a presentation at Steeple Run Elementary School where I taught for eighteen years.  The teachers there were very involved with me in the early ‘90’s as we studied Antarctica and followed Will Steger’s dogsled expedition across the continent.  I expect there may be interest and support there.  I also plan to approach the high school teachers I work with in the summer to see if there is interest at that level.  I envision this as a snowball that will gain momentum and grow as the word gets out about the incredible opportunity the students in our district have to work with real data and scientists in the field.  

Our district offers curriculum money for teachers who attend workshops.  I will investigate the possibility of this type workshop presentation to communicate with other teachers.  We also pay teachers to attend technology workshops.  As the date approaches my deployment I will see about conducting technology workshops on how to follow and be involved in the trip.